Duplicating apparatus



Oct. 14, 1941. M. P. NEAL ET AL 2,259,174

DUPLICATING APPARATUS Filed April 7, 1939 f5 f4 i vJ5 Mmmm Patented Oct. 14, 1941 DUPLTCATING APPARATUS I,

Morris I. Neal, Villa Park, .and William J. Champion, La Grange, Ill., assignoi's to Ditto, Incor-` porated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation fof .West

Virginia Application April 7, 1939, Serial No. 266,519

(Cl. lOl-147),.

' 6 Claims.

Our inventionrelates to duplicating apparatus of the, type in whicha master sheet of aluminum or other suitable material is carried around by a drum so as to receive. first a lilm of ink repellent which is distributed evenly over the face of the sheet, and to receive then a supply of. ink,l after which the master'sheet is carried into impression relationship with a copy sheet.

Our invention relates particularly. to the means for feeding a iilmof repellent tothe master sheet. Ourimproved vconstruction makesuse of a roller having an outerface portion of absorbent material which is journaled in position to engage the mastersheet as it is carried aroundby the drum, the repellent beingfed to the roller by a ductor roll. which is moved' back and forth for engaging alternately the repellent applying roller and an absorbent member toswhich` a supply of the repellent is fed. In our. preferred form of apparatus, the ductor roll is 'formed of sponge .rubber withthefpores open at the outer face ofthe roll so as to enable the roll to absorb freely a considerablequantity of water or other suitable ink repellent material brought into contact with the roll.

In our improved arrangement a quantity of ink repellent is carried by a receptacle in which there is mounted an absorbent member which extends well into the body of the repellent. In the preferred form of the device, the absorbent member is in the form of a piece of felt, a piece of sponge rubber or a porous stone such as lava or re brick. The amount of the repellent picked up by the ductor rollis controlled'in our improved structure by an adjustmentof the degree of pressure of the ductor rollon the absorbent member in the receptacle. When the compressible ductor roll is pressed rmly against the absorbent member, the

from such pores for enabling the pores to be filled with, the repellent by a rmechanically. produced suction pumping action.

It is another object `of ourinvention torim-` Y prove'dcvices of Vthis .type in sundry details hereinafter pointedout.

The preferred Vmeans by which we have accomplished ourseveral objects .areillustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in whichferred form of ourapparatus in4 connection with a conventional formof drum ;V

Fig.,2 is a view 'similar to a portion of Fig. l but showing a changed position of some of theY parts;` and;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to a portion of Fig. 1 butshowing modied forms of construc-` tion.

metrioal size, the Vdrum vportion I 4 having a master sheet I5 wrapped thereabout and secured thereto by. any suitable mechanismY not illustrated.

Upon the plate I0 adjacent to a liange I6 at. one edge thereof, we have mounted a receptacle I'I, such receptacle in the arrangement shown being supported by'a pivotally mounted plateIS which is adjustab'ly supported in position by means yof a set screw -,I 'Sl mounted in a bracket 20 intheform of a yoke'carried by the flange I6.A

The set screw ISIis provided on its lower end with a knurledvhead 2I and is provided at an inter-v mediate point with a knurled roller 22 which is engaged by..a spring 23vcarried by the bracket 20 serving tohold thelroller 22 and the screw I9 releasably against rotary movement. The a1'- rangement is such that when the screw I 9 is given a rotary movement against` the action `of the spring 23, the screwis `caused. to move upwardly l or downwardlydepending upon thedirection of rotation .soI as to give the plate I 8 andthereceptacle I'I a corresponding vertical movement. Between arms k24 pivotally mounted upon the plateflll and :a corresponding frame memberat thevoDPQgite sideof the machine, Vwe have rotatably mounted a roller 25 having` its outside face portion formed of felt or other suitable abf sorbent material, such roller 25 being positioned,

a short distance above the receptacle I'I. Stop mechanism comprising a `set screw 26 is provided Y for limiting the movement ofthe arms 24 and the roller 25toward the drum, Il, springsA 21 being.` connected.` between the upper ends of the arms 2 4. l

and the ffra'meplate. I 0 serving normally to press theroller.25'fagaihstthe4master sheet I5 carried bythell; as dru`m `rotates. Thesetm receptacle I'I so as to keep the member 28 con-' tinuously saturated With the repellent.

For taking repellent from the absorbent mem# ber 28 and applying it to the-roller 25,-we have provided a ductor roll 35 which in the arrange-Y *i ment shown is formed of sponge y'rubber with the pores of the rubber open at the outer face of the roll so as to make the roll readily wettable and to enable the roll to hold by absorption a' considerable quantity of water or other liquid.' In the arrangement shown, the ductor roll 3l)V is journaled'between'arms 3|v carried'by a shaft Sla journalled in the armsV4 24 so as to enable the ductor roll to move into engagement alternatively with the roller land the absorbent member 28. Aspring 32 is provided for pressing the'arms 3|,` normally into position for holding the ductor roll 'in`eng'agement with'the roller 25. At one side ofthe machine, the arm 3l is provided with a second arm 33 provided at its` outer end with a roller 34 rotatably mounted thereon in position to engagecams 35 and 36 carried by the drum I I The arrangement issuch that upon each revolution of the drumth'e 'cams 35 Vand 36 engagethe roller 34 for moving the arms 33 and 3| in clockwise'direction'in'Figs. 1 and 2 against the action of the'spring 32 for carrying the ductor roll 3B out of engagement with the roller 25 and pressing such ductor roller strongly against theabsorbent member 28 in the receptacle I'I so as to atten the ductor roll, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. By this attening operation, the extent of facecontact of the roll 30 with the absorbent member 28 is increased, so as to control the amount of repellent` taken up bythe ductor roll from'said member 28. The compression of the roller 30 vv#against the absorbent member 28 lnot only increases the areaY of contact but also collapses the pores of the porous rubber of the roll 30 so lasjto force the air out of said pores.v When the roll 30 is then retracted from engagement withthe absorbent member 28, the pores expand by theY resiliency ofthe rubber and arev lled with the repellent by a mechanical pumping Vaction by the force of suction.

Inthelarrangement shown, the spring means 32serve to press the roll 3U against the roller 25, whereas said roll 3B is pressed against the absorbent member 28by. positively acting means comprising in the arrangement shown the roller 3l! and the cams 35 and 36. In the construction illustrated, the cams 35 and 36 are comparatively short so as to insure that the roll 30 shallengage the ,roller 25 during the major portion of each revolution of the drum and that the engagement of the roll 30 with the absorbent member 28 takes placeduring only a minor portion of a revolution of the drum. Whenever it is desired that the amount ofV repellent applied to the roller 25 be increased, this effect is brought about by an upward movement of the receptacle II and the absorbent member 28'byY the use of the adjustable set screw I9.-

Inthe arrangement 'shown in Fig, 3, the conmodified form of ductor roll and a modied forni of absorbent member are employed. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, a ductor roll 31 is employed having a facing of ordinary close grained rubber with its outer face roughened so as to make it readily wettable. In this arrangement of Fig. 3, the absorbent member in the receptacle l1 is in the form of a block of sponge rubber 38 with the pores open at the top and side faces of the block.

In the arrangement shown in Fig, 4, a further modified form of absorbent member is employed. The absorbent member of the Fig. 4 arrangement is inthe form of a block of packed felt 39, the arrangement in said gure being otherwise the same as that shown in Fig. 2.

We have found by the use of our improved arrangement that it is very effective for applying a verythin film evenly upon a master sheet l5 as it is carried around by the drum.` When Vthe rangement of parts as shown by our drawing and as above described, it isto be` understood that our invention is not limited to the arrangement shown except so far as the claims .may be so limited, it being understood that changes might well be made in the form and arrangementy of the parts without departing from vour invention.A`

We claim: .Y Y. l. In a moistening mechanism kforjapplying l. moisture to the surface of a member carried past said mechanism, the combination of a roller 'ro tatably mounted in position to engage said meinber, a receptacle for liquid extending alongY said roller adjacent thereto; an absorbent'member injj said receptacle extending downwardly into posi-4 tion to engage a body of liquid in the receptacle,

a ductor roll having its outer face and aV comparatively large portion of its body formed vof resilient compressible and absorbentA material rotatably mounted between said firstl named roller and said absorbent member and movable into position to engage the roller andthe ab sorbent member alternatively for taking liquid receptacle in position to take up Vby suction a s`ubstantial supply 'of liquid fromV said absorbent` member for application to said roller.

2. In a moistening mechanism for applying 1 moisture to the surface of amember carried pastg Y `said mechanism, the combination of arollerl rotatably mounted in position to engage said member, a receptacle for liquid extending along said roller adjacent thereto, a substantially .rigid porous absorbent member in said receptacle ex- 1 ,tending downwardly into position to engage. a `body of liquid in the receptacle, a ductor roll having its outer face and a comparatively large portion of its body formed of resilient ,comew pressible and absorbent material rotatably mounted between said irst namedroller and said absorbent member and movable into posi tion to engage the roller and the absorbent meml' ber alternatively for taking liquid -from said absorbent member and feeding itV to said roller, means for giving said ductor'rollrreiprocatory 'Y movements between said absorbent member and said rst-named roller, and adjustable means for varying the pressure of said ductor roll on said absorbent member for controlling the amount of liquid taken up by the ductor roll for application to said first-named roller,

3. A mechanism for applying moisture to a member moving past said mechanism, comprising in combination a roller having a facing prtion of absorbent material rotatably mounted in position to engage said member as it is carried along, a receptacle for liquid extending along said roller adjacent thereto, an absorbent member in said receptacle extending downwardly into position to engage a body of liquid in said receptacle, a ductor roll of resilient yielding material comparatively much more readily compressi'ble than said absorbent member having a readily wettable outer face and rotatably mounted between said first named roller and said absorbent member and movable into position to engage the roller and the absorbent member alternatively for taking liquid from said absorbent member and feeding it to said roller, means for moving said ductor roll into engagement alternately with said roller and said absorbent member and means for adjusting said receptacle and the absorbent member therein toward and from said rst-named roller for varying the degree of flattening of said ductor roll and thus controlling the amount of liquid fed to said roller.

4. A mechanism for applying moisture to a member moving past said mechanism, comprising in combination a roller rotatably mounted in position to engage said member as it is carried along, a receptacle for liquid extending along said roller adjacent thereto, an absorbent member formed of porous stone in said receptacle extending downwardly into position to engage a body of liquid in said receptacle, a ductor roll having its outer face and a comparatively large portion of its body formed of resilient compressible and absorbent material rotatably mounted between said rst named roller and said absorbent member and movable into position to engage the roller and the absorbent member a1- ternatively for taking liquid from said absorbent member and feeding it to said roller, and means for moving said ductor roll into engagement alternately with said roller and said absorbent member.

5. A mechanism for applying moisture to a member moving past'said mechanism, comprising in combination a roller rotatably mounted in position to engage said member as it is carried along, a receptacle for liquid extending along said roller adjacent thereto, an absorbent member in said receptacle extending downwardly into position to engage a body of liquid in said receptacle, a ductor roll of resilient yielding material comparatively much more readily compressible than said absorbent member and having an absorbent outer face and rotatably mounted between said rst named roller and said absorbent member and movable into position to engage the roller and the absorbent member alternatively for taking liquid from said absorbent member and feeding it to said roller, means for moving said ductor roll into engagement alternately with said roller and said absorbent member, and adjustable means for varying the degree of pressure of said ductor roll on said absorbent member for controlling the amount of liquid taken up by said ductor roll.

6. A mechanism for applying moisture to a member movable past said mechanism, comprising in combination a roller rotatably mounted in position to engage said member as it is carried along, a receptacle for liquid extending along said roller adjacent thereto, an absorbent member formed of packed felt non-rotatably mounted in said receptacle and extending downwardly into position to engage a body of liquid in said receptacle, a ductor roll having its outer face and a comparatively large portion of its body formed of resilient compressible and absorbent material rotatably mounted between said first-named roller and said absorbent member and movable into position to engage the roller and the absorbent member alternatively for taking liquid from said absorbent member and feeding it to said roller, and means for moving said ductor roll into engagement alternately with said roller and said absorbent member.

MORRIS P. NEAL. WILLIAM J. CHAMPION. 

